Improvement in melodeons



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LA FAYETTE LOUIS, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR- TO GEORGE A. PRINCE AND THOMAS STEPHENSON, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MELODEONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,737, dated June 24, 1302.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, La FAYETTE Louis, of the city of Buffalo and State of New York, assignor to GEORGE A. PRINCE and TrroMAs STEPHENSON, of thesame place, haveinvented a new device for the Prolongation of the Bass- NotesinMelodeons, Organs, and Piano-Fortes, which I term the Basso Tenutog7 and I hereby declare that the following is afull and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a longitudinal section'l showing the combination of my improvement with a Inelodeon, organ, or piano-forte. Fig. II is a plan. Fig. III is a transverse section on line l 2 of Fig. I.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like part-s in each of the gures.

The nature of my invention relates to the construction and application of a device to the notes of melodeons and organs which when a key (or note) is struck by the performer will hold the key down and the valve open in a manner to prolong the sound until another key is struck, each key, when struck, instantly releasing the previous key, and prolonging its own sound until another key is struck, and so on through any number of the notes, thereby enabling the performer to sustain or prolong at will any note, while both hands are free to play upon other parts of the key-board.

A represents a key-frame of a melodeon, or gan, or pianoforte; B, keys; C, push-pin for opening the valve; D, valve. Vhen my improvement is applied to a piano-forte the pushpin and valve of course will not be used. D' is a valve-spring.

E represents a tenutobar placed transversely under the bass-keys. It has an incline or bevel face for theincline or bevel face ofthe key-hooks to act upon, so that a descending hook will move the bar back and allow the hook to pass below it. It also has a plane face on the under side for the hooks to catch against, as shown in the drawings. This tenuto-bar is supported upon two posts, F, one at either end, which posts are jointed or hinged to the key-frame,

as shown at G, so as to allow the tenuto-bar to oseillate back and forth upon its hinges, as

' desired.

catch on the under side of the bar and hold the key down.

I represents a hook, which has an incline or bevel face corresponding to the bevelface of the tenuto-bar, and also a plane or square face corresponding to the under side of the bar; or a round-headed screw will answer. This hook or screw is made fast to the under side of the key, its head dropping down in such position that when the key is struck, and thereby the hook descends, its bevel face will strike upon the bevel face of tenutobar and push the bar back, so as to allow the hook to pass below the bar. As the hook passes off from the bevel face of the bar the springs H will instantly act and pull the bar forward, so that the hook will catch on the under side thereof and hold the key down until it is released by a similar action of another hook. W'heu a key is struck, its descending hook will crowd the bar back and release the hold of any hook that may be engaged therewith and permit its key to rise to its place while the springs H pull the bar forward and engage the descending hook, so that but one key is held down at the same time, and so that either note may be sustained or prolonged at the will of the operator, while both hands are free to play upon other parts of the instrument.

J represents a slide moving in slots, having a projecting pin, K, to push against the tenuto-bar and hold it back out of the reach of the hooks, so that when desired the basskeys may be operated as usual, without refer ence to prolonging the sounds.

It is evident that the details of construction of a device for the purposes herein described may be varied without departing from the principle of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the details of construction herein set forth; and I wish it also to be understood that my invention is applicable to all or any of the notes or keys of these instruments.

iVhat I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The construction of a device which I name the basso-tenuto, and the use and combination thereof with a melodeon, organ, or pianoforte, for the purposes and substantially as herein described.

LA FAYET'IE LOUIS.

Witnesses:

W. H. FoRnUsH, E. B. Foianosm 

